Skruff
Coda
Junior Johnson
Sat. 12th May 2007
Another G Session and another perfect blend of styles and influences from Skruff, Coda and Junior Johnson. The sessions are fast becoming a hot ticket for bands right across the province and tonight’s performers are a varying mix of eclectic uplifting sounds a la Skruff and the hard hitting, in your face style of Coda. I was a little too late to catch the Junior Johnson experience but I did witness his show the previous night in Bryson’s when he supported John Bramwell.
Now a regular native of Spain he displays all the wit and composure of a man who has fought the world and is ready for his next challenge. Resembling the likes of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, Johnson blends charismatic, feel good lyrics with a divine sense of musicianship that can at times lift you from the pits of despair only to plunge you backwards in equal measures. And in I waltz between his show and Coda, a four piece female fronted alternative rock band who are just perfect for this sort of venue.
Providing a substantially large movement away from the show’s opener, Coda are a heavy hitting but masterful outfit.
Front woman Julianne Shawe’s commitment and passion is evident throughout in both her lyrics and phenomenal guitar work. When she joins forces with Adam Shirlow, provider of backing vocals, this is when they really shine. Safety Automatic and End Of The Line are prime examples of the power that the two possess. Although they’ve only been playing for about the last two years, it is safe to imagine that Coda will make it big. It’s hard to define any band but I think particularly more so when they’re fronted by a female.
At times like Bloc Party circa Silent Alarm and early Queens Of The Stone Age is a vague claim because they really have carved out their own niche of sound. Catch them if you can and you’ll know what I mean. Friend and photographer Graham Smith shoots the band regularly and watch out for a forthcoming documentary from him later in the year.
Derry lads Skruff, recent supporters of The Twang and Kharma 45 and with gigs in England under their belt are fast becoming Northern Ireland’s hottest ticket.
They’re funky, soulful, energetic and anything else you can think of that’s generally happy and uplifting. Latest 6 track EP Hot Robot is a treat and I recommend that you check out their website to download a few tracks. The track Hot Robot in particular is a Franz Ferdinand influenced little number which Connor McGowan belts out with true dynamism.
In truth it is McGowan and his stage presence that hold the show together so well and When bassist McLaughlin has a few technical glitches, McGowan and Eastwood improvise with a cover of Sting’s An English Man In New York. It’s the type of music that you can easily have a boogie around to especially when Subliminilia and Fabulous Weapon kick in and if you find your feet aren’t tapping, then you must be dead. I urge you to check them out when they play at a venue near you, they’ve got my stamp of approval if that means anything to you.
The Mid Ulster Mails Niall Kerr Reviews some past gigs @ The Cellar
Tags: Coda, Junior Johnson, Mid Ulster Mail, Niall Kerr, Skruff
